Coq au vin (cock with wine) is probably one of the first French dishes a new cook tries. It makes them feel sophisticated, and by the time they're done it really does taste good which brings on a feeling of satisfaction of a job well done.

The original dishes were thought to have been from the country farmers, who in their desire to grow their flock wound up having more than their desired share of roosters to deal with. To anyone that has tried to raise some hens from eggs, they always seem to have a few too many roosters to contend with.

The French have figured out that if you call a dish a fancy name, you can do quite well in eliminating a problem in the natural world. Just research escargot and you'll quickly understand.

The original dish uses a red wine as it's cooking fluid and later it's sauce. For many, mixing red wine with poultry seems counterintuitive. Our recipe, using our Seyval Blanc, resolves this little inconsistency in the wine world, but we didn't just adapt the recipe to reduce conflict. Seyval has smokey characteristics which go really well with the bacon that plays a key roll in developing the early flavors.

Try our recipe, and if you did a bang up job, send us a picture on Facebook. As with any good recipe, smelling is as good as the tasting so take a deep breath then enjoy with a glass of Seyval Blanc.

Ingredients

8 slices of bacon, cut into 1" squares

1 medium onion , chopped

4 cloves minced garlic

salt & pepper, with oils as required

8 ounces of mushrooms, quartered

4 chicken thighs and drumsticks, separated

2 bottles of Seyval Blanc (for cooking & drinking)

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3. Season the chicken parts and cook in the pan until browned on both sides, starting with the skin side down. It is better to work in batches than overcrowd the pan. Remove the chicken when the color suits you.

5. Add 2 1/2 cups of the Seyval to the pan and deglaze, scraping the cooked food from the bottom. Now add back the chicken, along with the bacon bits, onions, and garlic removed in step 2. Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for nearly one hour, checking to make sure the fluids haven't evaporated. Add more wine as necessary.

6. Remove the chicken to a warm platter, raise the heat and add the heavy cream. Stir until the sauce has thickened, garnish with the fresh parsley, and serve. I prefer over a rice pilaf, but any starch will do just fine.

7. Pair with a nice chilled glass of Seyval Blanc. Cheers!

Step by step instructions

1. In a deep saute pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until the fat is fully rendered, stirring constantly.

2. Add the onion and cook until transluscent. Combine with the garlic keeping it moving for about 1 minute. Remove contents leaving behind the fat.